There aren’t many things more amusing than watching a kitten chase a laser pointer’s dot. Kittties are playful and energetic to begin with, but giving them an impossible to catch “mouse” creates a game which never seems to tire them.
My cat Avah is two years old, and while she no longer has quite the playful moves she used to impress me with, she still shows moments of friskiness when a moth gets in the house or a string is dangling. We’ve played the laser pointer game before with comedic results, so I figured that she would be the perfect test subject for the FroliCat BOLT, an automatic laser light cat toy. FroliCat was kind enough to send me a review unit; Avah was kind enough to get off her cushion and play along…
The BOLT resembles a shiny plastic bowling pin with an oddly round head; it is composed of smooth white plastic, and it measures about 8.5″ tall x 2.5″ at its base.
The BOLT’s body is made so that it can be held comfortably in hand if you want to use it while manually making patterns on the floor or wall. The base is large and stable so that it can be placed on the floor, a table top, or any other flat surface for random generation of laser patterns when in automatic mode.
The laser is located in the upper portion of the BOLT’s body; when turned on, the laser beam is projected straight up and into the mirror, then out of the head’s opening.
The laser is on a disk that turns, stops, ziggs and zags, creating all sorts of crazy patterns for cats (or dogs!) to chase.
On the back of the BOLT’s head, there is a slider to aim the mirror up or down; this allows beam adjustment.
The button on it’s base turns the BOLT on or off, and it also activates manual or automatic mode.
Automatic Mode
* Press on/off button to turn on
* Set on safe, flat surface such as table or floor, or hold in hand
* BOLT will automatically turn off after 15 minutes
* Press on/off button to turn off before 15 minutesManual Mode
* Press on/off button to turn on
* Press on/off button and hold for 3 seconds
* Hold in your hand & aim BOLT wherever you like to create your own laser patterns
* BOLT will automatically turn off after 15 minutes
* Press on/off button to turn off before 15 minutes
The BOLT takes four AA batteries…
…when inserted they help add weight and stability to the base.
When the BOLT is in place and turned on, a red laser beam starts frolicking on whatever surface is first touched. Once your cat notices it, the game is on!
Ok…that’s the hardware. Now, watch the BOLT in action!
Avah lives a rather sedentary lifestyle, and I really appreciate that the BOLT can serve as a workout device to help get her into shape. The only caution is that as with any laser, it is very important to make sure that the beam is never shined directly into the pet’s eyes. For that reason, you should never allow small children to play with the BOLT, nor should you allow a pet to play with it unsupervised. But with supervision, get ready to watch your pet act the fool…
The FroliCat BOLT is available directly from the manufacturer.
MSRP: $19.95
What I Like: You can use it to play one-on-one with your cat, or you can set it up keep your cat occupied without you; great exercise for fat kitties; 15 minute timer means you don’t have to worry about shutting it off when it’s in automatic mode; can be adjusted to work on floor, from table, or in hand
What Needs Improvement: Not that there is really a way to improve this, but adult supervision is always necessary pets are playing with the BOLT; young children should not be allowed to play with it, either